For parents who want their children to be well prepared to compete in a global economy, that’s the attraction of a Dual Language program.

What is a Dual IMMERSION Program?

This program is also known as Dual Immersion, Dual Language Immersion, Two Way Immersion and Two Way Bilingual Immersion...

The Dual Language Programs in SCESD integrate native English speakers and native Spanish speakers for the entire school day, with the goals of promoting high academic achievement, first and second language development, and cross-cultural understanding for all students.

Dual language programs blend two language education models: an immersion program for English-only speakers and a bilingual maintenance model for English learners. Students from the two language groups attend class together, learning from one another and supporting each other's second language acquisition. The dual language model creates an additive bilingual environment, which allows students to acquire a second language while maintaining and developing their native language. The curriculum of the program is the same as in the general education program.

Parents must be willing to commit to the duration of the program (six-seven years) in order to be eligible for enrollment. SCESD Dual Language Programs follow the 90/10 model in the first two grades (90% Spanish and 10% English) and incrementally increase the amount of English to 50/50 in the upper grades.

For enrollment information, please inquire at the school office or the Salinas City Elementary School District office.

Giving students the best of both worldsThe goal of SCESD’s Dual Immersion programs are to develop a child’s proficiency in English and Spanish through reading, writing, speaking, and listening. The program is academically sound, based on over forty years of research.

What are the Goals of the Dual Language Program?

Students in dual language programs are presented with the social and cognitive benefits of bilingualism. They gain a second language, a broader vocabulary, and multiple views of the world, (Cazabon, Lambert, & Heise-Baigorria, 2002). In order to acquire these benefits, the program sets out to accomplish the following goals:

Develop high levels of proficiency in Spanish and English

Achieve grade level academic performance in Spanish and English

Increase the use of foreign language among monolingual groups

Develop children who will be more competitive in the global economy

Take advantage of the optimal window of learning a second language during the primary years

Nurture understanding of the different cultures living side by side in Woodstock

Give students an upper edge in high school, college, and the workplace

Develop bilingualism, biliteracy, and biculturalism

Develop positive cross-cultural attitudes and behaviors

What Does the Research Say About Dual Language?

Multiple benefits exist for acquiring a second language during the primary years. Some of the benefits of learning a second language during the elementary years include:

Children have the ability to learn and excel in the pronunciation of a foreign language (Krashen, et al., 1982)

Participation in early foreign language shows positive results in areas of standardized testing (Armstrong & Rogers, 1997) Children who had studied a foreign language show greater cognitive development (Hakuta, 1990)

Children studying foreign language have an improved self concept and sense of achievement in school (Caine & Caine, 1997)

Children develop a sense of cultural pluralism, openness and appreciation of other cultures (Met, 1995)

Bilingualism not only enhances cognitive development, it also increases multicultural understanding and expands educational and professional prospects. Whether students choose to engage in global opportunities or contribute to their own communities closer to home, all benefit from the bilingualism, bi-literacy and expanded multicultural perspectives that dual language programs provide. (reference http://twowaycabe.org/what_is.html)

SALINAS CITY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT

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